Jo
by TrebondsKnight
Summary: This is about a girl named Jo and the troubles she has after her mom dies. She has know clue what to do with her life now that she's alone. Should she find a trade, wonder alone, find work? plz. R
1. True Dreams

A/N: My 1st fanfic so bear with me here. I would really appreciate it if everyone who reads this would please review because I'm not sure WHAT to think of my work. So just tell me what you like or dislike so I can make it better. I'm not exactly sure where this is going; I kind of just make it up as I go along. I'll try to update often. -TrebondsKnight  
  
True Dreams  
  
Josephine Miller woke up dazed. She was a 13 year-old girl with golden blonde hair and dark green eyes. It took a moment for the memories of the previous night to sink in. Jo closed her eyes as the vivid details flashed through her eyes again and again. This can't be happening, she thought to herself, when I open my eyes I'll see nothing! It was all a dream!  
Reassured, she slowly opened her eyes. After finding no immediate evidence that the night before wasn't just a dream, she started to look around. There! Right behind that huge bolder! Isn't that where IT happened? No, she told herself, I'm just being silly. If I look behind it NOTHING will be there! She hadn't convinced herself but Jo rounded the bolder nonetheless.  
She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the bodies she had desperately hoped wouldn't be there. She started to pale when she saw her mother's body lying in the middle of the mound. Many feelings broke loose inside Jo; grief, guilt, shame, anger, loneliness, and worry. Hot tears ran down her face as she ran to the other side of the bolder, trying to push the images away.  
She lay on the grass crying for what seemed like hours. Finally, self- disgust sank in and she stood up and wiped away tears. She defiantly wasn't one to wallow in self-pity. Slowly worry began to sink in. What would Jo do now that her mother was gone?  
Mother. Gone. Even saying the words in her head made them seem final. She's gone. I must accept it. So what was she to do? She certainly couldn't go back to her father; that wasn't even an option. She hated him. There were no other words for it. He didn't care for Jo or her mother. Just thinking of the idea of going to him made Jo's face darken with fury. The last time Jo saw her father; he made it very clear to Jo that he greatly disapproved of her. Jo greatly doubted that he would even shed a tear if she dropped dead in front of him. Jo glared. I'll show him! I'll show that filthy meaningless worm!! She continued glaring for a few minutes and then she mentally shook herself. This was not the time to fume at the thought of her father! She had to figure things out!  
First things first; I need a bath. Bath. Water. Clean. Yes, she was sweaty, muddy, and in definite need of a bath. Jo sighed and began walking around making sure to note landmarks so she wouldn't get lost. At last she came upon a peaceful-looking lake. Jo could see the bottom and estimated it to only be about 4ft. deep. Perfect.  
Jo unsheathed her sword and daggers and placed them on the edge of the bank. You could never be too careful. She quickly took off her clothes and slipped into the lake. She washed well then came out to reapply her clothes, praying to the Goddess that no one would spot her.  
What now? She asked herself again. Exercise said a part of her. Exercise! I gotta be kidding! Exercise at a time like this!? Mom always said, "If you can stand then you can exercise," replied an evil part of Jo's brain. Jo sighed; she knew that evil part was right. Darn me! Darn me to Heck! Grumbling, Jo began her morning routine of exercising, stretching, and fighting moves.  
After an hour, Jo finished and sat down on the grass. Again she found herself asking what she should do. She thought awhile before coming to a decision. Corus. She would go to Corus; it was the closest city and she was bond to find help or work there. She would figure out what to do on the way. Right now Jo needed supplies. She grimaced at what she would have to do to obtain the supplies. She would have to search the bodies. Jo didn't like the idea but knew it was better to do it and live then not to and die. She finished the gruesome job then headed towards Corus, and her new life. 


	2. On the Road

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews. It just makes me happy that you took the time to read this. In my first chapter (after I redid the summery and stuff) I forgot to put in the disclaimer so here it is:  
_  
Disclaimer for chapters 1 & 2: I don't own Tortall or anything in it except for Jo & any other characters I might add.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
On the Road  
  
The trip to Corus was a rather uneventful one for Jo. In other words, it was dull. The scenery didn't change much in the last few hours. The same towering oaks surrounded the road as Jo passed by atop her mare Echo. Jo's mind began to wonder back to the bodies behind the bolder. She had stripped then of anything of value: weapons, rope, money and food. Jo didn't exactly need the weapons, but she always liked to have an extra sword, and she could always sell the others. She didn't know when the next time she would come by money would be so it was better not to take chances.  
  
Jo was on the road to Corus, but she still wasn't sure what she would do when she got there. Jo knew how to fight and defiantly wouldn't mind fighting for money, but she couldn't see how that would work out. She was too young to become a Rider, didn't have enough money for knight training, and Jo was positive people would laugh at the thought of hiring a 13-year- old-girl mercenary. So fighting wasn't much of an option.  
_I could learn a trade,_ she thought, _like blacksmithing, glassblowing or healing._ Jo thought for a moment. She didn't think any of those would work out. She didn't have much of an interest in smithing or glassblowing, although healing was a possibility. Jo had the Gift, and was pretty good at healing with it, but did she really want to spend the rest of her life healing? If she wanted to be apprenticed to a healer, things could get a bit complicated. A healer would give her food, clothes, and a place to live, but would also try to train her Gift perfectly, which would take time. Then of course the healer would need to be paid back eventually. Jo decided she wouldn't go to a healer unless she was really desperate.  
_I could get an adult to take care of me until I'm old enough,_ Jo turned the thought around in her mind. _I could go to one of those orphan edge things that the Queen set up. Yeah...wait didn't I hear some odd rumors about those? That's right! I heard that the nobles were abusing the program. They were adopting children, beating them, and making them do hard labor. Then some of the mistreated children ran away and told everyone. But the nobles denied it and no one believed the children...until they found proof...But it's just a rumor...I don't think I'll go there anyway, just incase. Besides I _hate_ asking for help.  
_ _I could get a job cleaning at an inn or something. The innkeeper might let me stay there._ Jo dwelled on this thought for a moment, but then dismissed it. No, Jo had seen too many servants being beaten. The ones who weren't ended up as prostitutes and if not ended being raped. Jo shuddered. _That will _never_ happen to me,_ she thought fiercely.  
Jo sighed. _Too bad I couldn't get work as a maid or something, cleaning is easy. But at an inn there would be no one who would care if I scream. Hmm...If there was a place with a lot of people and guards cleaning wouldn't be so bad. Wait! That's it! The Palace!_ The Palace. Of course why didn't she think of it before? The Palace was the prefect place to work. There were always positions available, there were rooms for servants to live in, there were guards everywhere so no one would attempt anything plus in her free time she could use the practice courts. Jo figured that when she made enough money she could quit and join the Riders or something. Finally, Jo thought, that's settled.  
Jo decided to stop for the night. She led Echo to the side of the road and tied her behind huge bushes that shielded them from view. Instead of using the food she already had, Jo decided to go hunting for food. She had better hunt while she could and save the rest for latter. Jo didn't know how big the forest was and if it would continue on until Corus.  
Jo gathered her bow and quiver, and then placed a protection circle spell around Echo. This spell would hide Echo from sight so no one would steal her. The spell was a bit advanced but Jo's mother insisted she master it. Her mother didn't have the Gift and wanted Jo to know the spell for when they traveled.  
That done, Jo left the now invisible Echo and walked silently into the woods. She had killed and bagged to rabbits before she heard the voices. "Quick! 'afore they catch up to us," said a deep male voice that made Jo jump. She crept silently towards the voices, all her senses on alert.  
"Ye sure they're after us?" questioned a second voice. They were closer now. Jo hid behind a bush where she could see their outlines. They were three men dragging along a limp figure.  
"'O course they're after us you idiot! They're bond to come a lookin for us!" replied a squat figure.  
"What should we do with this 'un?" asked the second voice, indicating the limp figure.  
"'e's [he's] a noble. 'e [he] can be ransomed." Replied the tall one who was obviously the leader. Bandits! Jo concluded. She grabbed an arrow from her quiver, fit it in her bow, quickly aimed, and then loosed. The arrow went straight into the leader's head. The bandits stopped bewildered. They looked around then spotted Jo. Before they could move, Jo loosed again, her arrow going into one's throat. The remaining bandit dropped the figure and ran towards Jo with his sword raised high. Suddenly he dropped, Jo's final arrow buried deep in his chest.  
Jo sighed, then began searching the bodies. Unsurprisingly, she found a large sum of money and slipped it into her pocket. She walked over to the boy that the bandits had taken. She checked him over and found out that he had passed out from blood loss from many wounds. Jo carried him back to Echo and built a fire. She cleaned and bandaged his wounds and even used some healing magic. When the boy did not awaken Jo cooked her rabbits and continued to watch him as darkness fell.


End file.
